By Chris Yow
Editor
TRUSSVILLE — Residents and real estate agents have raised concerns recently about Trussville city employees picking up signs that are on city right of ways. Several residents were upset when the city street department went through town two weekends ago and removed all signs not in compliance with the city ordinance.
Trussville mayor Gene Melton said the ordinance is clear, that all signs must be 11 1/2 feet from the road on private property, and any signs at intersections are illegally placed.
“If the sign is in a yard, we don’t pick it up,” Melton said. “But the city right of way is clear in the ordinance.”
Melton said some signs have been picked up recently due to complaints from some citizens, but the city isn’t in the business of harassing residents or real estate agents.
“We just want to keep the city looking clean,” Melton said. “We don’t usually have a big problem with signs, but when they get out of hand, we have to clean them up.”
Some of the concerned sign owners asked why the city could not contact them before picking up the signs. Melton said that just isn’t feasible due to time constraints.
“We just don’t have time to call every single property owner to tell them their sign is placed illegally,” he said. “We have 22,000 residents in the city, and calling everyone with a sign too close to the road would cost too much money.”
Where do the signs go? Melton said he’s instructed the street department to place them behind city hall and anyone who is missing a sign may call and pick it up. That isn’t always the case, however.
“We don’t have to keep the sign,” he said. “Usually we just throw them into the dumpster. But some of those signs are expensive, and we want to do what we can to help.”
Melton said the ordinance is clear, and hopes those individuals and companies placing signs on the road will use a little common sense.
“If people would be more responsible with their signs, they wouldn’t get picked up,” Melton said.